19 lb Eye

[Neal/CO]

I read in the Denver post on Sunday that the egg gathering crew at Cherry Creek caught a 19 lb eye in their nets the other night. They also caught 15 females between 10 and 18 lbs in one net!! Pretty amazing for an 800 acre lake right off the two busiest highways in the state!

I guess that is why I keep going out at night to punish my self? Went again last night for some more abuse! I sure wish someone could show me how to catch Walleye there? I will just keep going till the odds turn in my favor?

[Steve CO]

Neal, it's simple. To be successful all you need is a very big net. Seriously though, I went through the same thing for years at Horsetooth when they were netting all the huge eyes. I finally got to the point where I could catch some eyes consistently and they went and drained the ##### thing (well not completely, but it sure changed the fishing patterns). Just keep trying. As the old saying goes, you can't catch fish if your lure is dry.

[Neal/CO]

I use to catch some small ones up to about 21 inchs, especially along the marina riprap, but it has been about three years since i caught anything along the marina or the dam worth talking about.

[Swede]

You ever troll them during daytime?

[Neal/CO]

Lots of people do! But Cherry Creek is an urban lake that is overrun with jet skiers and pleasure craft all day long. Once it gets dark there is very little noise or pressure. Also the lake is very fertile and full of Gizzard shad. Thats why the fish are so big and hard to catch! Every once in a while a big fish gets caught at night, just not by me!!!

[Bradnd]

Neil,

Just knowing there in there is what makes it more exciting! Thats what keeps me going back to Tobin every year for!
What the heck, just being on the water is what we all live for, when the rod bends, it's just an added bonus!!

Take care,

Brad

[Brushpile]

Hey Neal

You ever tried to find some suspended fish? Not a high percentages game but well worth the effort. When you get em figured out keep your pie hole shut.

[stewart]

I knew someone who fished Cherry Creek, and your not alone if that's any consolation. At least the big ones are there, unlike my public waters...

[Atomic Eye]

Neal,

If your finances allow, maybe you can get an older, but very serviceable, boat that will put on the water so you can hunt those Sumos? You don't need a big unit since Cherry Creek is so small. Aurora Marine told me that they had some older boats in their lot when I picked up my 2002 1675 ProSport.

We started to break it in on Cherry Creek and marked lots of gamefish (presumably) in ~25' deep water off the rip-rap, but too far to cast from shore.

You know what, those Sumos you heard about didn't get so big by being tempted by the usual fare. Good luck, Neal.

Atomic Eye (New Mexico) -- "Gone Fission!" ~~~<}}}:>

[jameswalleye]

Any current areas on the lake? Thats where i do really well at night the first couple weeks of season here in MN.

[Neal/CO]

No current except when it rains in the watershed above. Those fish are shallow along the rock riprap at night, so a boat is not a big advantage. I just think there is so much forage that it makes it really tough?

[James Morris]

Have you tried casting size 18 floating rapalas over the riprap? How about something really "noisy" like a big rattletrap that will draw the 'eyes in or at least get their attention away from the other baitfish in the area? How about snapping a bulky jig off the rip rap or swimming a jig and plastic just off the bottom? Maybe get a smaller no-snagg sinker and put a 3' leader behind it to a big (size five or larger) spinner blade in front of a bead and a float and a jumbo crawler and walk it along the rocks?

Just some ideas to throw at ya, if you're not catching them, at least you can keep it interesting with presentations they don't see day in and day out. Maybe even try "smaller" bucktail spinners (typically used for pike).

How about a BIG suspending stickbait fished with long pauses?
Hope I sparked some ideas for you, show me a pic when you get that 20lber.

James

[Neal/CO]

I have tried alost all that for years. This season I am stocking up on extra large Pike and musky baits to see if they work. If they don't I can still use them in may when I start fishing for Pike in the Mountains! I have caught a couple on Big rattle Traps.

[risor39]

Have you tried running planer boards up shallow at night.This is a good tactic up in sturgeon bay.Saw the pic of the 19Lber.WOW Good Luck

[appleye]

saw an artical a while back that talked about using "trout" for bait. I'm sure it's not legal but if there present the waldoes will eat them.

appleye